International Coalition Targets Syrian Army Warplane in Raqqa Countryside

The Army general command announced on Sunday that the air force of the so-called “international coalition” targeted one of the army’s warplanes in al-Rasafah region in Raqqa southern countryside while it was carrying out a combatant mission against ISIS terrorist organization, causing it to down and missing its pilot.

The General command said in a statement that the flagrant aggression undoubtedly affirms the US real stance in support of terrorism which aims to affect the capability of the Syrian Arab army- the only active force- along with its allies that practice its legitimate right in combating terrorism all over Syria.

“The attack stresses coordination between the US and ISIS, and it reveals the evil intentions of the US in administrating terrorism and investing it to pass the US-Zionist project in the region.” The statement added.

It affirmed that such aggressions would not affect the Syrian Arab army in its determination to continue the fight against ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations and to restore security and stability to all Syrian territories.

Mazen

Damascus: US-Led Coalition Downs Syrian Army Aircraft over Raqqa

TEHRAN (FNA)- Damascus announced in a statement on Sunday that the US-led coalition has shot down one of its fighter jets during a mission in Raqqa countryside.

According to the statement, the warplane was carrying out operations against ISIL in the countryside of Raqqa when it was targeted, leading to a crash and the loss of the pilot, who is currently missing.

The Syrian army backed by the country’s air force continued its military operation in the Western part of Raqqa, after capturing ISIL’s last bastion in Eastern Aleppo and has captured several districts in recent days.

As Washington claims that it fights against the ISIL group, US warships fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from two warships in the Mediterranean Sea at the Shayrat airfield in Homs province on April 7, following a chemical weapons incident in Idlib province which the Western countries blamed on the Damascus government.

The Syrian government has fiercely denied using or even possessing chemical weapons since the country’s compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention was certified by international observers in 2013, as the world is still waiting for the US and its allies to provide any proof for its claims of Bashar al-Assad government involvement in the alleged chemical attack.

Also on May 18, the US-led coalition struck pro-Bashar Assad forces near al-Tanf in the area of an established de-confliction zone. The coalition air raids occurred near al-Tanf, where US’ and British special operations forces have been training militants near the border with Iraq and Jordan.

On June 6, the Pentagon announced the coalition conducted a new strike on pro-Syrian government forces as they entered the de-confliction zone with Russia and posed threat to its personnel. The force comprised of a tank, artillery, anti-aircraft weapons, armed technical vehicles and more than 60 soldiers. At least two Syrian servicemen were killed and more than 15 injured as a result of the attack.

On June 8, the US-led coalition bombed pro-Damascus forces near al-Tanf in the area of a de-confliction zone following an alleged attack by a combat drone resulting in no coalition forces’ casualties. This was the third attack by the coalition on Damascus’ allies in the area. The coalition targeted a drone and trucks with weapons.

Furthermore, on September 16, US-led coalition aircraft carried out four strikes against the Syrian Army near the Deir Ezzur airport, killing nearly 100 people.

The Army Air Force carried out Saturday morning intensive sorties targeting the ISIS movement axes and supply routes east of Arak gas field, 3rd station and al-Taybeh al-Gharbiyeh in Palmyra in Homs countryside , inflicting heavy losses upon the ISIS terrorists in personnel and equipment.

The air force airstrikes also destroyed a number of ISIS command centers and vehicles and killed a number of ISIS terrorists in the villages of Salba, Qulaib al-Thaor , Abu Habailat, al-Tanahej, Jana al-Elbawi, Marina and west of Tabbaret al-Dibeh in the eastern countryside of Salamiyeh in Hama countryside.

Raqqa

Meanwhile, the air force of the army carried out during the past 24 hours intensive sorties against ISIS terrorists’ positions and dens in the western and southern countryside of Raqqa eastern province.

A military source told SANA that the air raids concentrated on the terrorists’ dens and movements at the surrounding of Abu Kabra well, to the south of al-Nashmi, in Karawi village and in al-Rasafa city in the southern and western countryside of Raqqa.

The source pointed out that many of the terrorists were killed and their vehicles were destroyed during the sorties.

Deir Ezzor

Strikes of the Syrian air Army destroyed ISIS terrorists’ command centers and vehicles, and killed dozens of the terrorists including leaders in al-Tharda area, Wadi al-Tharda, Hweijet Qate’, the Old Airport neighborhood, al-Mawared area and al-Jafra village in Deir Ezzor Province.

SANA reporter said that an army unit killed ten ISIS terrorists who attacked military points at the surrounding of al-Reshdia and Barouk hill in the western countryside of the province.

A state of chaos is spread amongst members of the terrorist organization of ISIS due to the heavy losses inflicted upon them by the Syrian army. In this context, local sources said that the terrorist organization executed one of its leaders called Abu Omar al-Tunisi for attempting to escape, confirming that the Public Relations Official in al-Mayadeen city called Hussam Mohammad al-Shallouf managed to escape.

In a similar context, the sources pointed out to the killing of the financial official of ISIS Fawzi al-Rawi when he was liquidated by unknown people in al-Mayadeen city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.